School's out, the weather's hot, and it's time to head to the beach! Many families take advantage of this opportunity to head to a lake or the ocean to cool off and have some fun. It's also a great time to take advantage of the sand and water and how they can provide new and fun activities for your child to work their muscles, improve their balance and coordination, and learn new skills.
On the sand:
* March through soft, deep sand in a follow the leader parade--soft sand is harder to walk on than moist, packed sand and will help build your child's core and leg muscles
* Dig a big hole and bury other people in the sand--your child will use all of their muscles to scoop, push, and dump sand, and also use their problem solving skills to figure out how to hide every finger and toe!
* Ride big wheels, tricycles, and ride on toys on the packed sand--your child will have to work harder to pedal than when they are on sidewalks or driveways
* Make "animal" foot prints on the sand by having your child walk like a duck, frog, crab, or move like other sea creatures to improve their balance and coordination
* Make "sand angels" by laying on the sand and moving their arms and legs in and out against the resistance of the sand
In the water:
* Scoop buckets of water and bring them up the beach to make "pools" in the sand--squatting to fill the bucket and then walking with it is a full body workout!
* Jump in the waves with hands held as needed by an adult--this will help your child work on their timing and coordination of gross motor skills to jump over each wave
* Walk through the water with a floating tube or noodle for balance--the deeper the water, the harder your child will have to push to move through it. Have them "chase" you through the water to try to move faster against the resistance of the water.
Enjoy the summer because it's back to school before you know it!
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